hekbeet chase



(No Model.) I

J. H. CHASE.

MEGHANIOAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENT.

Patented Feb. 2, 1886. 159.1.

N4 PETERS, Phol0 LNh gmphon Washinginn. v.0.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

J. HERBERT CHASE, OF BROOKLYN, ASSIGNOR TO THE MECHANICAL ORGUINETTE COMPANY, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

MECHANICAL MUSICAL lNSTRUMENT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 335,272, dated February 2, 1886.

Application filed May 20.1%5.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. HERBERT OrLisE, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Musical Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

I will describe a musical instrument embodying my improvement, and then point out the various features of the improvement in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical section of a mechanical musical instrument embodying my improvement. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of the same on the line 00 a", Fig. 1, looking upward. Fig. 3 is a trans verse section taken at the plane of the dotted line 00 as, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of a pneumatic motor, taken at the dotted line 1 y, Fig. 1, or the dotted line yy, Fig. 1, looking in either case toward the adjacent end of such motor.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A designatesbellows, of which there may be any suitable number, operated in any dosirable manner.

B designates an equalizer of bellows-like construction, communicating with the bellows, i

and also with a chest, D.

G designates a reedcell, arranged, as here. There may be any,

shown, over the chest D. desirable number of reed-cells similarly arranged. The reed -cells communicate with the chest D through passages a, and under control of valves E. These valves E severally consist of a lever fitted at or near one end to pins b, and held upon them by abutments 0. These levers are faced with leather or analogous material opposite the passages a, so as to be capable of effectually closing the latter. The free ends of the levels are guided by pins d.

G designates a number of pneumatic motors, whereby the opening and closing of the valves E are controlled. They communicate internally with ducts e in a rest, H, overwhieh a music-sheet, I, which is perforated to effect the playing of a tune, passes. As shown, the bellows are suction-bellows. They cause air to pass through the ducts e when the perfora- Serial No. 166,101.

(No model.)

tions in the music-sheet permit it to do so. The air thus passing through. the ducts enters the pneumatic motors, expands them, and thereby causes the opening of the valves E. hen the passage of air into the ducts c is prevented by the imperforate port-ion of the music-sheet, the pneumatic motors will collapse and close the passages c.

Having given a general description of the instrument, I will now describe the features which constitute my present improvement. Each of the pneumatic motors consists of a strip of wood, g, having projections 9 near the ends on one side, another strip of wood, 5 and a flexible material, g-such as sheepskinconneeting the latter to the former. The strips of wood 9 are secured to the under side of a downward projection, h, in the upper part of the chest 1). The ducts e of the rest H extend through this projection 7L, and through the strips of wood 5 to the interior of thepneumatie motors. Theprojections g are preferably made by attaching separate blocks or pieces to the strips g through. the agency of glue or other adhesive substance. The flexible material '9 is secured by glue or other suitable adhesive substance to the sides of the strips 9, the sides of the projections g, and across the under side of the said projections. The strips g are secured by glue or like material to the flexible material 5/. These strips are shorter than the distance between the projections 9; hence when the motors are collapsed the strips are moved between said projections and close against the strips 9.

J designates pins passing through holes in the strips g and stripsg and impinging against the valves E. At the lower ends, below the strips 9 they have heads, against which bear springs K. Preferably these heads are provided with notches receiving the springs. The springs are fastened to a rail, It, on the projection h.

The holes in the strips and strips through which the pins J pass, are sufliciently large to allow of the passage of air between them and the pins.

\Vhenever air is admitted through any of the ducts e, the corresponding motors are ex panded. Then the pins are drawn. down not merely a swinging movement.

the valves Eopen. When the passage of air is prevented by the mperforate portions of the music-sheet from passing through the ducts, the air within the motors,which are in communication with such ducts, escapes, the springs collapse the motors, and the latter close the valves E.

It will be observed that the strips 9 of the pneumatic motors are in effect free moving diaphragms, having a bodily movement, and

2. In a musical instrument, the combination of a valve for controlling a sound-producing device, a pneumatic motor comprising a fixed portion and a strip bodily movable in one plane, and a pin engaged with the movable strip and drawn away thereby to cause the opening of the valve, substantially as specifled. 3. A pneumatic motorconsisting ofthefixed strip 9, having projections g secured thereto near the ends on one side, a strip of wood, 9', shorter than the distance between the projections 9, united to the strip 7g by flexible material secured to the sides of the strip 9, the sides of the projections g across the under sides of said projections, and the side of the strip substantially as specified.

J. HERBERT CH ASE.

XVitnesses:

WM. G. LIPsEY, T. J. KEANE. 

